Islamabad, 29 May 2025: Global Safety Standards remain largely unmet by car manufacturers in Pakistan, with lawmakers expressing serious concern over the lack of basic safety compliance in locally assembled vehicles.
A recent briefing to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Industries and Production revealed that only 18 out of 200 internationally approved automotive safety benchmarks are currently being followed.
Officials disclosed that the overwhelming majority 182 global safety criteria have been entirely overlooked, despite domestic vehicle prices being considerably higher than those of similar models abroad.
The revelation sparked sharp criticism from committee members, who described the situation as unacceptable and called for urgent regulatory enforcement.
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The committee highlighted that due to inferior safety features, locally produced vehicles cannot compete in international markets, particularly when compared to Indian and Chinese exports that meet Global Safety Standards and are now thriving globally.
While the Secretary of Industries and Production noted that airbags are included as a basic feature in vehicles, the committee chair observed that even some leading foreign carmakers operating in Pakistan have failed to comply with mandatory local regulations.
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Lawmakers voiced frustration over the auto industry’s decades-long presence in Pakistan without significant improvements in passenger safety.
One member argued that it was time to move beyond warnings and start holding non-compliant companies accountable for putting consumers at risk.
Committee participants agreed that without strict adherence to Global Safety Standards, the local automobile sector would continue to pose dangers to the public and fall further behind its international counterparts.
